Resetting for the New Year: How Play Helps Children Process Busy Seasons

The holiday hustle, while joyful, often throws our children's routines—and emotional equilibrium—off balance. The excitement, late bedtimes, travel, and constant stimulation can leave little ones feeling overwhelmed and dysregulated as the calendar flips to a new year. As we transition back to the rhythm of school and work, one of the most powerful tools we have for helping children process this busy season is simple: play.

Play, particularly the unstructured kind, isn't just fun; it's the language of childhood and the primary mechanism through which kids integrate experiences, manage big feelings, and ultimately, return to a state of calm.

Understanding Co-Regulation: Our Role in the Reset

Before a child can truly self-regulate, they need co-regulation. This is where you, the loving caregiver, step in. Co-regulation is the process by which a trusted adult provides a supportive, calm presence to help a child manage their emotional state.

During the busy holidays, children may have been operating in a heightened state of excitement or mild stress. When they melt down over a minor issue in January, it's often the delayed reaction to all that sensory input. To co-regulate:

1. Stay Calm: Take a deep breath. Your calm nervous system is contagious.

2. Acknowledge the Feeling: Instead of dismissing the tantrum, validate the underlying emotion ("It sounds like you are really frustrated that the puzzle piece won't fit," or "You seem sad that Grandma had to leave.").

3. Offer Connection: A gentle hug, sitting quietly beside them, or simply making eye contact offers a secure base from which they can process their feelings.

Creating a calm environment facilitates the transition from holiday chaos to everyday routine.

The Power of Unstructured Downtime

Structured activities, lessons, and packed schedules are necessary parts of life, but the post-holiday period demands a deliberate injection of unstructured downtime. This is time without a specific goal, scheduled activity, or electronic device.

Why is this crucial for a post-holiday reset?

• Integration and Processing: When children are constantly doing, their brains don't have the chance to sort through what they've experienced. Unstructured time gives the mind space to integrate memories of the holidays—the fun, the stress, the new toys—into their existing understanding of the world.

• Resting the Executive Function: Decision-making and impulse control (executive functions) were likely taxed during the holidays. Downtime allows these systems to rest and recharge, making it easier for children to follow routine and manage their behavior when school restarts.

Try scheduling "nothing time"—an hour in the afternoon where the only rule is no plans.

Free Play: The Path Back to Routine

Free play—child-led, spontaneous, imaginative play—is the single best tool for helping children return to routine after holiday excitement. Here’s how it works:

Rehearsing Routine

Children often use play to mimic and practice real-life scenarios. If they are feeling anxious about returning to school, you may see them engage in play scenarios where they are the teacher, the bus driver, or the student. By acting out the routine, they gain a sense of control and predictability over the coming days, reducing anxiety.

Expressing and Mastering Emotions

A child who witnessed a loud family disagreement might repeatedly build and knock down a tower. A child who was overwhelmed by receiving too many presents might engage in simple, repetitive stacking. Play acts as a therapeutic outlet:

• Symbolic Expression: Big, confusing emotions are safely expressed through objects and actions.

• Mastery: By repeating a challenging or exciting scenario in play, children gain a feeling of control, ultimately mastering the feelings associated with the experience.

Fostering Focus

After weeks of high stimulation, free play helps children re-engage their attention spans on their own terms. When a child chooses their own activity, they naturally extend their focus. This sustained attention is essential for successfully returning to the learning environment of childcare or school.

Action Plan for a Smooth January

1. Prioritize Downtime: For the first week back, clear the schedule as much as possible. Focus on simple home activities.

2. Set Up "Invitation to Play" Spaces: Lay out simple materials (blocks, art supplies, dress-up clothes) without dictating how they must be used. Let curiosity be the guide.

3. Re-establish Bedtime Slowly: If bedtime slid later, move it back by 15-minute increments each night to ease the transition back to the school-night schedule.

4. Engage in Simple Co-Regulation: When things get tough, simply stop, connect, and acknowledge the feeling. "The holidays were really fun and exciting, and now it feels hard to slow down."

At Shooting Star Childcare, we understand that a smooth New Year transition is built on connection, calm, and, most importantly, the simple magic of play. Welcome back, and here's to a playful, peaceful new year!